The Chargers got almost nothing out of 2017 first-round pick Mike Williams during his rookie season. The receiver missed the entire offseason recovering from a back injury then made 10 appearances, but only finished with 11 catches for 95 yards. If Williams can live up to his draft position in 2018, an offense that often sputtered in the red zone could look much more dangerous. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

They closed 2017 with a blowout of the division rival Raiders, who fired then-head coach Jack Del Rio before he even delivered his postgame comments at StubHub Center. But elsewhere in the stadium, Anthony Lynn didn’t sound much happier.

The Chargers’ first-year head coach had kept his command of the locker room despite an 0-4 start. He had gotten his players to nine wins, matching the franchise’s total over the previous two seasons.

And he had not done quite enough. The Chargers were pushed out of the playoff picture on tiebreakers, which left Lynn feeling glum despite his team losing just three times after Oct. 1.

Still, what he accomplished inspired hope at the team’s Costa Mesa headquarters.

“I really saw a high level of grit and determination that we just lacked last year,” Chargers general manager Tom Telesco said last week. “And I credit Anthony Lynn for that. Anthony has instilled that in this football team. …

“We’re talking about a team in a new market, in a new stadium, trying to get used to their surroundings. We started off poorly at 0-4 – ‘All right. Now, what are we going to do about it?’ And our head coach never flinched once.”

Thanks to Lynn, the Chargers might have laid a foundation for perennial playoff contention. Here are a few tasks that could help them stay on course in 2018:

KEEP GUS BRADLEY

Perhaps the most important task the Chargers had this month is already done. On Tuesday, the team retained defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, as well as offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt.

Bradley is reportedly returning on a three-year deal after generating interest from the Packers and the Seahawks.

The Chargers wouldn’t have dug out of their 0-4 hole if not for their stout defense, which hit its stride in October and was the team’s most consistent unit all season long. Bradley deserves much of the credit. After a failed head-coaching stint in Jacksonville, he thrived again as a defensive coordinator on the West Coast, turning the Chargers into a top-three unit in points allowed. They also ranked top six in both sacks (43) and takeaways (27).

He has plenty of talent to work with. The defensive line is bookended by a pair of Pro Bowlers in Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram – the latter being named to the all-star game Tuesday as an injury replacement for his teammate. Casey Hayward is among the best in the game and could soon be joined by another top-flight cornerback in Jason Verrett, who has missed most of the past two seasons due to knee injuries.

FIND A KICKER

If the Chargers had a reliable kicker, they might very well be in the playoffs. Instead, they spent the season cycling through four different options: Younghoe Koo, Nick Novak, Travis Coons and Nick Rose. Collectively, the quartet finished 20 for 30 on field goals, last in the NFL. The Chargers narrowly avoided becoming the first team to make fewer than 65 percent of their field goals since the 2012 Packers.

HELP PHILIP RIVERS

Philip Rivers hasn’t missed a game since he became the Chargers’ starting quarterback in 2006. The team could draft his eventual successor this spring, but even if they do, the veteran passer is playing well enough to hold on to his job a little longer.

The Chargers helped Rivers earn his seventh Pro Bowl nod this past season by keeping him clean. Left tackle Russell Okung stabilized an offensive line that allowed a league-low 18 sacks. An improved defense allowed Rivers to take fewer risks: He threw just 10 interceptions, less than half his 2016 total and his lowest mark since 2009.

Surrounding Rivers with talent becomes even more important in 2018, when the quarterback turns 37 years old.

GET DRAFT PICK PRODUCTION

The Chargers got almost nothing out of their first- and second-round picks in 2017. Receiver Mike Williams missed the entire offseason recovering from a back injury; he made 10 appearances, but only finished with 11 catches for 95 yards. Forrest Lamp, who was competing to start at right guard, tore his ACL during the first week of training camp.

The coming offseason will be crucial for both players. If Williams and Lamp can live up to their draft positions in 2018, a Chargers offense that often sputtered in the red zone could look much more dangerous.

STAY HEALTHY

After limping through 2016, the Chargers suddenly became one of the healthiest teams in the NFL. Yes, they lost linebacker Denzel Perryman (ankle) for half the season, and usually struggled against the run when he was out of the lineup. And yes, Verrett only lasted 63 snaps before landing on injured reserve and undergoing another knee surgery.

But other than that, the Chargers’ starting lineups remained relatively intact. When veteran left guard Matt Slauson tore his biceps, rookie Dan Feeney stepped in without missing a beat. When defensive tackle Corey Liuget missed games with back and knee injuries, they had a promising 23-year-old in Darius Philon to lean on.

Some of that might have just been simple good luck. But the Chargers did overhaul their strength and conditioning program this past offseason, with an emphasis on preventing soft tissue injuries. Time will tell whether or not those changes will continue to keep players on the field.

Jack Wang covers the Chargers, the latest NFL team to relocate to Los Angeles. He previously covered the Rams, and also spent four years on the UCLA beat, a strange period in which the Bruins' football program often outpaced their basketball team. He is a proud graduate of UC Berkeley, where he spent most of his time in The Daily Californian offices in Eshleman Hall — a building that did not become earthquake-safe until after his time on campus.